Saving Grace

The Big 12 rises off its deathbed with a new vigor. By Sam Knehan 

(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

     With the defection of Texas A&M to the Southeastern Conference becoming official this week, the league known as the Big 12 is left with just nine member schools. Athletic directors from each of these nine universities met Tuesday, along with Chuck Neinas, interim Big 12 Commissioner, to discuss the future of the conference. 
     No consensus on the Big 12’s future membership was reached. “It could be 9, 10, 12, 16. Pick a number,” Jamie Pollard, Iowa State athletic director, told media members Tuesday. 
     Despite still reeling from the loss of three member schools in 15 months, the Big 12 remains confident in its future as a conference.  
     Pollard said: 

Each institution has to figure out what's right for them, and you come out of it stronger on the other side. It feels like that today. The nine of us in that room? We've been through a lot together. An awful lot together. Our obituary has been written several times, and it hasn't come to fruition. That's strengthened us, and we said this a year ago. Ultimately, we have to prove it. We have to prove it. But I feel very comfortable with the individuals in that room that are my peers and our league is going to be a very viable league.

     Still, without a formal proposition of expansion, even the most dedicated fans of the conference have to fear the potential of losing their automatic qualifying status with the BCS beyond the 2013-2014 season, when their BCS Agreement will be up for review. 
     Whether the Big 12 will remain in existence remains to be seen, but the recent decision of the Pac-12 may be the saving grace for the conference that has been on the chopping block several times in its 15 years of existence.